Expected Man Utd transfer on the brink of collapse despite agreement already being in place

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Erik ten Hag have a new problem on their plate after a report claimed a pre-agreed Manchester United transfer is almost certain to fall through.

Almost as important as who Man Utd sign this summer is who they sell. Many of the club’s highest earners are also among the their biggest underachievers.

Anthony Martial will leave as a free agent once his contract expires at season’s end. Raphael Varane’s deal is also up and interest from Saudi Arabia is strong.

Elsewhere, Man Utd will listen to offers for Casemiro, Donny van de Beek, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Mason Greenwood.

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Today’s update centres on Van de Beek who has struggled from day one since his £35m move from Ajax in 2020.

The Dutchman’s tally at Old Trafford stands at just two goals and two assists in 62 appearances for the club.

Van de Beek is currently on loan at Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt having joined at the start of the winter window.

The move was viewed as a fantastic opportunity for Van de Beek to rediscover his form and potentially earn a permanent switch. Indeed, the loan agreement contains an option to buy worth €14m (future add-ons included).

A sale on that scale would mean Man Utd incur a huge loss on the player. But given he doesn’t appear to have a future at Old Trafford and his United contract expires in 2025, the Red Devils are running out of options and time.

But according to a fresh update from BILD, Frankfurt are extremely unlikely to activate their option to buy.

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Van de Beek flops again

Explaining why, it’s claimed Van de Beek’s displays thus far have been sub-standard and the midfielder has already tumbled down the pecking order.

The midfielder racked up three consecutive appearances to begin his Frankfurt spell on a high note. However, since then Van de Beek has been an unused substitute in four of Frankfurt’s next seven matches.

With Van de Beek failing to catch the eye and yet to provide a single goal or assist, BILD state he’s on course to be sent back to Manchester at season’s end.

At that stage, logic would dictate Man Utd again attempt to find a buyer for the player. But given Van de Beek has underwhelmed in Germany, interest isn’t expected to be widespread.

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